1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information providing apparatus, an information processing method, and a user device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, with a rapid spread of the Internet, users view information on items to be purchased using the Internet. In recent years, a technique in which a user inputs a wish condition, and an item matching the wish condition is provided to the user is known. Moreover, a technique in which wish information of a user and a response from a shop are mediated between the user and the shop to provide information on a shop at which the user can purchase the item to the user is known.
However, in the conventional technique, it is difficult to provide information on a shop at which the user can practically purchase an item. For example, the conventional technique just provides the information on a shop in which a purchase wish item is stored in stock but cannot provide the information on a shop at which the user can purchase an item geographically. For example, in the conventional technique, even when the information on a shop located within a predetermined distance about a present location of the user is provided, for example, a user who purchases an item while being out of home cannot be said to wish to purchase the item at a shop in which the straight line distance from the present location is short, and it may not be practical for the user to purchase the item at a nearby shop depending on other factors such as a transportation cost. As above, in the conventional technique, it is not necessarily possible to provide the information on a shop at which the user can practically purchase an item.